Microphone enclosure for reducing acoustical interference

Abstract

A microphone enclosure for reducing the intensity of sound waves that reach a microphone is presented. The enclosure may be a solid mass with a cavity, designed so that most of the microphone is surrounded by the solid mass when the microphone is inserted into the cavity. The solid mass is dense enough to reduce much of the sound waves that are first mechanically and then acoustically coupled with the microphone. The microphone may be inserted into the cavity so that a sound receiving section is exposed at the entrance of the cavity. Also, the microphone may not be inserted to the end of the cavity so that there is a space between the end of the cavity and the microphone. A hole may be located on the cavity sidewall so that sound can reach the microphone through this space. The sound receiving sections of the microphone are aligned with openings in the communications device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention pertains generally to a system and method for providing wireless communication between individuals and in particular to audio communication.[0002]While audio communication has become a common form of communication, new challenges are posed by the fact that the devices for audio communication are becoming increasingly small. For example, when a audio communication device is small, the microphone and the speaker cannot be placed far apart. Thus, when the microphone is physically close to a speaker in a full-duplex system, the voice of an individual received through the speaker may feed back into the microphone and cause the talker to hear himself like an acoustic echo even though the talker is talking at an appropriate volume level.[0003]Sound waves travel from the speaker to the microphone in two ways: mechanically and acoustically. The transmission of sound to the microphone may occur at least partly mechanically due to vibration of var...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a microphone enclosure that reduces the amount of sound waves that reach the microphone. This is accomplished by creating a solid mass with a cavity into which the microphone can be inserted. The microphone is surrounded by the solid mass, which helps to eliminate or minimize the mechanical-acoustic coupling of the sound waves. The enclosure is designed to not cover the sound receiving sections of the microphone. The cavity is designed to allow sound waves to enter and reach the microphone. The microphone enclosure is shaped to fill the air space around the microphone in a communication device and does not add extra volume or weight to the device. The enclosure has wire holes to allow microphone wires to extend to parts outside the enclosure.

Problems solved by technology

While audio communication has become a common form of communication, new challenges are posed by the fact that the devices for audio communication are becoming increasingly small.

For example, when a audio communication device is small, the microphone and the speaker cannot be placed far apart.

However, the foam or the rubbery material does not reduce the acoustic transmission of sound waves from the speaker to the microphone.

When the speaker and the microphone are placed in a small device, this problem become more prominent than in a large device due to the proximity of the two components and the thinness of the device walls (for lighter weight).

Some solutions that would have once been considered obvious, such as placing the microphone and the speaker sufficiently far apart to prevent this type of unwanted sound coupling, is not a viable solution for small, handheld voice communication devices.

The problem is compounded by the fact that small communication devices often use thin plastic housing in order to make the device as light as possible.

Devices housed in thin plastic tend to be especially vulnerable to acoustic transmission because vibration of the thin housing walls create acoustic waves, in a similar way that drumheads generate sounds.

Thickening the housing walls solves the acoustic transmission problem but has the “side effect” of increased device weight.

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